1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of power electronic systems and more particularly to control methods and arrangements that monitor the condition and operating parameters of the power electronic system and power electronic switches and provide appropriate action to optimize operation thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Various power electronic systems are known for supplying power, regulating power, and transferring power from one source to another in order to provide continuous power to a load. Ascertaining the proper operation of the various components of these systems is important in order to most appropriately decide how to best assure the continuous supply of power to the load. While these arrangements may be useful and generally satisfactory for their intended purposes, they do not provide appropriate diagnostics or system control with sufficient emphasis on the priority of the continuous supply of the connected load.
Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a control method and arrangement that monitors the condition and operating parameters of a power electronic system having power electronic devices and responds to various detected abnormalities via appropriate action to optimize operation of the power electronic system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a control method and arrangement for a source transfer control system that responds to an overheated power electronic switch by switching to an alternate source, the source with the overheated power electronic switch being made available as a temporary alternate source.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a control method and arrangement for a source transfer control system having monitoring and control features to increase reliability of operation and to optimize the continuous supply of power to a load.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a diagnostic arrangement for a power electronics system including power electronic switches that measures the temperature of the power electronics switches and communicates the temperature information in a coordinated fashion with information regarding the operating status of the power electronics switches.
These and other objects of the present invention are efficiently achieved by a control method and arrangement that monitors the condition and operating parameters of a power electronic system having power electronic devices and responds to various detected abnormalities via appropriate action to optimize operation of the power electronic system. The arrangement increases reliability of operation and optimizes the continuous supply of power to a load. For example, the arrangement responds to an overheated power electronic switch by switching to an alternate power electronic switch, the overheated power electronic switch being made available as a temporary alternate path. The arrangement also includes the capability for diagnosing the power electronic switches by measuring the temperature of the power electronics switches and communicating the temperature information in a coordinated fashion with information regarding the operating status of the power electronics switches. Additionally, shorted power electronic switches are detected and appropriate action taken.